Assigstos



H. T. ORMONDE COMBINATION IGNITION LOCK Filed March 30. 1922 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 March 25; 1924. 1,487,881 H. T. ORMONDE v COMBINATION IGNITION LOCK Filed March 30 1922 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 W rm Patented Mar. 25, 192 5.

trainer HENRY T; ORIVION'DEpOF. LAKEWHQOD};OHIO,-:ASSIG1iiOR-.OE ONE=HALF BOOBLZNID F. BAUGHIVIAN AND ONE FOURT E'TO JULIUS ROEMER, BOTH OFLAKENOOD, DHIO.

'COMBlNATION .IGNITION ,L'O'CK.

To all whom it may camera 'Be 1t known that lg HENRY I. ORMoNDE,

a citizen of the United -States,-residing "at Lakewood, in thecounty of tluyah oga and 5 State o'l Ohio, h ave-invented a certain new and useful In-iprovement inn Combination Ignition-Looks, of which the followingis a 7 full, clear, end exact description, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings.-

10 This invention relates to'ignition locks-"for internal combustion engines;- and has tor its general objectato provide for such engines a mediatemetallic switclnplate S. The upper lock which, while comparativelysilnp le 'of' construction, will make it extremely difficult,

15. it notipraotieally impossible, tor other-then:

duly authorized persons to render operative tlie 'i'gnition=circuits The torlnsliownhie rein is designed tor-engines using battery ignition systemsand is e-modification of my cop ending application executed simultaneously= herewith, which adiscloses a look of this same general lclraracter, but: adapted for use with. engines usingmagneto ignition.

25. Fig; 1 represents a.sectional side elevation head is supported from the lower head by means of posts 9. Secured to :and project :ing through the centralportion of the end plate 2 is sleeve 10,"through whichextend the various wiresforthe ignition cirsuite.

The switch plate 8 is provides with: a hub 8 byv which itis pinned to a vertical shaft 11; the pin being] indicated at 12. Surrounding the hub 8 is .ai'i'insulation sleeve 13. The upper endiofthe-shaftill projects above tl1e hcad6fand is there-provided with a il'usto-conical indicating member 15 having-an ilnlicating scale :15 thereonand pro- In the drawings forming a part' hereof,

of a.lock oonstructed in accordance with my invention; F1g2 aplanwaew oil said lock;

Figs. 3. and 1% sectional :viewscorresponding respectively; to the lines and of Fig. 1 Fig", 5 a. plan-.view'ofthe'intermediate combination switch. plate; Fig. 6 a.

sectionalzdetailion thei line 6 -6 ofihlig. 3;

Fig. 7 a. detail in elevation and section showing one of the ignitlon circuit pings in closechposition; Fags. 8, 9 andlO, sectional details corresponding respectively to'the:

lines 8 8, 9 9 and el0--10 01 Figs. 4, 3 and 6', respectively; and Fig. 112a diagrammatic View showing the electric circuits-employed 40- inwthe operation of the foregoing lock.

T-11e lockto. which :this application iis directed is a combination-lock end, in' the embodiment disclosed herein, includes a plurallty. o-fsw1tch plugs,- some ofwlnch corresp-ond respectivelyto the -sp:ark.plugs,uand a plate 'cooperating with the said plugs to ren- 1 der the circuitsto the sparkplugsineflective in the event thatzt-hei plate ls-notisetto a predetermined position and certain selected:

plugs'arenot alsowo-peratedkin conjunction.

therewith.

Describing the parts by-reference characters 1 denotes a casing, shown cyhndrr cal inouthne and havmgzat 1ts lo-werend a plate Q-of insulating material and at its vided at: its extreme upper end with a knurledoperating wheeler head'l6. The scale upon themember l-licooperates with an arrow 17 upon thetopotithe head 6- (see Fig. 2).

The plate S-is provided with two concentric series of openings, "there being an outer series of openingslS-and an inner series of openings 19.- The particular embodiment of my invention showirherein is-desig-ned for use with assists-cylinder car; hence the numbers of the openings provided in theinner and outerrseries are preferably multiples of the number of cylinders employed in the motor; with which theloek cooperates,- twelve openings 18. and :siX openings :19 being providedherein, l-lowei'er, it will be understood that, for 1 the purpose otmy invention, no special numberzo-l openings in either series is essential. Adjacent tocertain ofnt-he openings 18 audit) of the switch :plate 8are movable plugs 21 Inounted in insulating sleeves 21 in'the plate, each plug being normally retained in elevated position zljyk means of a springZQ. In the embodimentofmy invention shown; herein, six: such plugs 21 are shown; cooperating with J six: posts .21" mounted in thebase 7 the-lock being. designedfor a six-cylinderengine. The purpose and modeof operation ofzth'eseswitch members will'bepoiuted out hereinafter in connection with thecircuits.

lit)

The plate 8 is grounded at all times by a two-part terminal post comprising a lower section having a plunger 26 slidably mounted in the upper part thereof pressed upwardly by a spring 27 so as to engage the peripheral portion of the plate 8. A wire 29 leads from the bottom of the post 27 to the frame or other ground, and the post 25 and the plunger are enclosed by an insulating sleeve 28 (Fig. 10).

Located within and adjacent to the periphery oi the lower head 7 are posts 30 which. are mounted in insulating sleeves 31 extending through the lower head 7 and into the bottom of the upper head 6 (see Fig. 9). Six such posts are shown, one for each of the spark plugs of a six-cylinder motor. Connected to the bottom of each post is a wire 32, and from the top oil each post leads a wire 38. The posts 30 and the connections serve to conduct the current for the spark plugs to the appropriate switch plugs, mounted in the upper head, as will be explained hereinafter.

Also mounted in the lower head is a series of terminal posts 34, each having connected to the bottom thereof a wire 35 leading to a spark plug. The lock being designed for a six-cylinder motor, six such posts are indicated. Each post is mounted in an insulating sleeve 36 and is provided in its upper end with a socket 234. Four of the posts are shown as adapted to register with the openings 18, but the fifth and sixth are located within or toward the center of the head 7 from the other posts and each is adapted to register with an opening 19. The purpose of this arrangement will be explained hereinafter. The head 7 also carries short posts 39 (see Fig. 8), three such posts being shown. Two or these postsare so located as to register with the outer openings 18 in the plate 8 while th third is located so as to register with the inner openings 19 in said plate.

In the upper head 6 there are mounted the operating plugs by which the circuit from the battery to the primary winding of the coil is broken or. closed and the spark plug circuits are opened or closed. These plugs, in conjunction with the wiring arrangement described and to be described herein, will close the circuit to all six of the spark plugs when the proper combination of plugs is selected, in conjunction with the proper positioning of the plate 8, but will prevent the closing or establishing of the spark-plug circuits under the other conditions. Gen erally speaking, two sets or plugs are shown as employed. The first set comprises six active plugs, each of which constitutes part of the circuit including a spark plug. Referring particularly to Fig. 6, 42 denotes one of the active switch plugs having at its upper end a knurled head 42 and provided with two longitudinally spaced grooves 42 extending therearound and adapted to receive each a locking ball 43 pressed into engagement with the said plug by a springdet.

The springs and the balls for the various is reduced, as shown at 42 and is mounted in an insulation sleeve 16 having a socket 1G in its lower end and adapted to receive the reduced upper extension of a sleeve 36 therebeneath and also having above such socket a shoulder do" which is adapted to engage the head 21 of the plug 21 thereby to bring such post into electrical contact with the cooperating post 21 in the head 7see Figs. 6 and 7. In this embodiment of my invention six posts 21 are used and are so positioned that a post 21 willv engage each post 21 when the plate 8 is set in the proper position. The lower end of the re duced portion 42 of each plug 4:2 constitutes a pin which is adapted to enter the socket 34 in the top of the post 3% therebeneath, when the plate 8 is moved to bring the openings 18 into register with said plugs and posts. Surrounding eachplug 12 above the flange 12 is a metallic sleeve 47, said sleeve being mounted inthe head 6 and having an extended base 47 to which one of the conducting wires '33 is attached, whereby each of the plugs 42 may constitute part of the circuit including the wire 32, post .80, wire 33, post 3& and wire 35 leading to a spark plug. As shown more particularly in Fig. '3, four of the posts 42 are arranged to register with the openings 18 in the plate 8 while the othertwo are arranged to register with the openings 19 and thus to register with the cooperating posts 34. V

There is also mounted in the head '6 a second set of plugs which are aligned with and arranged to cooperate with theposts 39, thereby to render the ignition or sparl plug circuits inoperative under conditions to be set forth hereinafter. on of these plugs is shown at 48 in Fig. 8 and is constructed slmilarly to the plugs 412, having a knurled head @8 and locking grooves 48 for the reception of a locking ball The.

lower'end or each plug 18 is provided with an enlargement 4:8 adapted to contact with the side wall of the appropriate opening 18 or 19 and thereby with the'plate 8. Tracing the circuits by reference to Fig. 11 it will be seen that the posts 21 are connected together in pairs by wires 50 andthat four of the posts 21 are connected together in pairs by wires 51. The current is broughtfrom one terminal of the battery 52 by wire 53 to a terminal. post 54 mounted in the head 7. From there it is taken by a wire 55 to other terminal 70 oii'the seeondar windin y 2-:

to the distributor arm -71 which is adapted to successively engage the contacts72 carried by the distributer plate 73. Ea-clrwire has one ond-connected 'to a contact 72 and the other endto the sleeve 47 surroundingthe plug 42 in the upper head G. As ias been explained 'here-inbe'fo-re; this combination of wires with the plugs 42 is secured by con-nectingcaclr wirewith tlre post 30 and leading a-wire from each of 1 said posts to the liange--4l7- of the sleeved? Connections from theposts 42 through the posts to the spark plugs are=made by the wires 35, the spark plugs-being-indicatedconventionally at- 74' and the engine ground being indicated at 7 The posts 2-39 are electrically connected to the p0st 54; by wires 75. In order to supply currentto the spark plu-gsitis first-necessary to electrically connect the terminalpost 54; with the terminal post 59 toclosethe circuit from the battery to the primarywinding of the coil. Thisis done by rotating- ,the knob 16 to theprop'erposition, which will in turn so positionthe'plate- 8*-tl1atall of the plugs 2!. are directly-above thepostS-Ql. The

plugs 42 are then pressed in-wardly, which will bring the-plugs 21 into contact with the posts 21", and this will allow the current to pass from the terminal post- 54 through the wire55 to one of the posts 21", indicated at 56 inFig. 11, and thence to the contacting plug 521, through the wires 50 and 51 andconnected plugs 21 and posts 21" to the post indicated at 21 in Fig. 11 and from there through the wire 57 to the terminal post 59 and thence through the wire 60 to the primary winding of the coil and through the condenser and breakers and to the ground through the wire 66 and back to the battery through the battery ground wire 80.

If, however, one ot the plugs 48 is inserted it will come in contact with a post 39 and then'the current will flow from the terminal post 5i througha wire to such post 39, thence to the plug i8 and to the plate 8 and from there through the plunger .26, post 25 and w'i1e'29to the ground, it

being understood that an electric current will always follow the -line: of lcastresistance.

It will=be =seeir thnt, bywthe construction and arrangement of the parts dlsclesed herein, in order that current may flow through the primary winding from the bat- 'tery,itis necessary that all otthe plugs 21 slrall be'br0ughtinto register with all of the posts 21* and that all of the plugs and posts sh all be brought into contact 'through the-movement-of the plugs 42. Should one or more of theplugs as register with open ings IShaving the plugs 2l adjacent thereto with posts 21 beneath such plugs, then the operation o't the plugs 4:8 will be inencctive, since the distance between the grooves 48" will prevent the locking of the plu s 1n their depressed condition. Should, however, any

of thi-r-plugs 418 registerwith a post 39, then the operatioirof such-plug would unmodiatelyground the circuit including the-primary= winding. In brief, in order'to render theignition system operative, theplugs 21 must be brought each into operative relation toa :post21 and to a plug 42'other-' wise the circuit including the primary winding cannot-be closed. Furthermore, none of the -plugs 38 must bepushedinwardly into contact with apost 39,-01' the circu-itincludingthe primary winding will be grounded. The parts being enclosed within the casing 1, the proper arrangement of theplugs 42 and'21 can be determined only by knowing the combination; and the ditficulty of ascertaining this combination may be enhanced by multiplying the number of grounding plugs 48 andby suitably varying-the positions of said plugs and of the plugs 42 and 21.

For convenience of reference, the term primary winding will be employed in the claims as including not merely the winding,

butthenecessarybreaker points and condenser to-induce in the' secondary winding the kind of current-essential to the proper operation otthe spark plugs.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. The combination, with the spark plugs of a multi-cylinder internal combustion engine, a source of electrical energy, a primary winding anda secondary winding, a circuit including the said source and the primary winding, and a circuit including the secondary winding and the spark plugs in-succession, ofa 'loclr comprising a plurality of switch posts, a movable plate, switch plugs carried by said plate and movable toward and from said posts, said plugs and postsbeing in the first mentioned circuit, a

contact with its post, and a plurality of switch plugs resembling the second mentioned switch plugs and each adapted when moved to ground the primary circuit.

2. The combination, with the spark plugs of a multi-cylinder internal combustion engine, a source of electrical energy, a primary winding and a secondary winding, a circuit including the said source and the primary winding, and a circuit including the secondary winding and the spark plugs in succession, of a lock comprising a plurality of switch posts, a movable plate, switch plugs carried by said plate and movable toward and from said posts, said plugs and posts being in the first mentioned circuit, a second series of switch posts corresponding in number to the spark plugs, switch plugs movable toward and from said posts and each adapted to engage one of the first mentioned plugs thereby to move it into contact with its post, and one Or more additional switch members arranged to ground the primary circuit.

8. The combination, with the spark plugs of a'multi-cylinder internal combustion engine, a source of electrical energy, a primary winding and a secondary winding, a circuit including the said source and the primary winding, and a circuit including the secondary winding and the spark plugs in succession, of a lock comprising a plurality of movable switch members in'series with the first circuit, and a plurality of movable switch members in the second circuit.

4:. The combination, with the spark plugs of a multi-cylinder internal combustion engine, a source of electrical energy, a primary winding and a secondary winding, a

circuit including the said source and the primary winding, and a circuit including the secondary wlnding and the spark plugs in succession, of a lock comprising a plurality of movable switch members in series with the first circuit, and a plurality of movable switch members in the second circuit and each arranged, when moved in a direction to close its spark-plug circuit, to engage one of the first mentioned switch members and move the same in a direction to close the first circuit.

5. The combination, with thespark plugs of a multi-cylinder internal combustion engine, a source of electrical energy, a primary winding and a secondary winding, a circuit including the said source and the primary winding, and a circuit including the secondary winding and the spark plugs in succession, of a lock comprising a plurality of movable switch members in series with the first circuit, a plurality of movable switch members in the second circuit and each arranged when moved in a direction to close its spark plug circuit, to engage one of the first mentionedswitch members and move the same in av direction to close the first circuit, one or more additional movable switch members, and means including each or the last mentioned members for grounding one of the aforesaid circuits. 7 r

6. The combination, with the spark plugs of a multi-cylinder internal combustion engine, a source of electrical energy, a pri mary winding and a secondary winding, a circuit including the said source and the primary winding, and a circuit including the secondary winding and the spark plugs in succession, of a lock comprising a plu-' rality of movable switch members 1n series with the first circuit, a, plurality of movable switch members in the second circuit and each arranged, when moved'in a direction to close its spark plug circuit, to engage one of the first mentioned switch members and move the same in a direction to close the first circuit, one or more additional movable switch members each resembling the second members, and means including each of the last mentioned members for grounding the first circuit.

7 The combination, with the spark plugs of a multi-cylinder internal combustion engine, a source of electrical energy, a primary winding and a secondary winding, a

circuit including the said source and the primary winding, and a circuit including the secondary winding and the spark plugs in succession, of a combination lock comprising a plurality of movable switch members in series with the first circuit, a plurality of movable switch members in the second circuit and corresponding in numher to the spark plugs, andone or more additional switch members arranged to ground the primary circuit. r

8. The combination, with the spark plugs of a multi-cylinder combustion engine, a source of electrical energy, a primary winding and a secondary winding, a circuit including the said source and the primary winding, and a circuit including the secondary winding and the spark plugs in succession, of a lock comprising a series of movable switch members in series with the first circuit, a series of movable switch members in the second circuit and each adapted, when moved in a direction to close its circuit, to move one of the first mentioned switch members in a circuit-closing direction, means formoving one series of such switch members with reference to the other series of such switch members whereby the first mentioned members may be operated by different members of the second series of members, and means including one or more switch members resembling those of the second set for grounding the primary circuit.

9. The combination, with the spark plugs of a multi-cylinder internal combustion en- 'lOO gine, a source of electrical energy, a primary winding and a secondary winding, a circuit including the said source and the primary winding, and a circuit including the secondary winding and the spark plugs in succession, of a lock comprising a base carrying a plurality of switch members corresponding in number to the spark plugs, a plate movable with respect to said base, a plurality of switch plugs carried by said plate and adapted to cooperate with the said switch members, the said plugs and members being in series with the primary circuit, a plurality of switch members also carried by said base and corresponding in number to the number of said plugs, the said plate having openings therethrough in excess of the number of said plugs for the passage of said switch plugs and each of the last mentioned switch plugs being adapted by its circuitclosing movement to engage one of the first mentioned switch plugs thereby to close the circuit including the same, each of the second mentioned switch plugs being included in a spark plug circuit, and one or more additional switch plugs, resembling the second mentioned switch plugs in appearance, and means including each of the last mentioned switch plugs for grounding the primary circuit.

10. An ignition lock for the spark plugs of a multi-cylinder internal combustion engine comprising a source of electric current, a primary winding, a secondary winding, a distributor in the circuit including the secondary winding and the spark plugs, a plurality of switch members controlling said circuit, the said switch members corresponding in number to the number of said spark plugs, and a plurality of similar switch members ar anged in proximity to the first mentioned switch member and each arranged, when operated, to ground or render inoperative the circuit including the pri mary windin 11. An ignition lock for the spark plugs of a multi-cylinder internal combustion engine comprising a source of electric current, a primary winding, a secondary winding, a movable plate having openings therethrough in excess of the number of the said spark plugs, switch plugs each adapted tobe moved through said openings to close the circuit from the secondary winding including the said spark plugs, switch plugs in series with a circuit including the primary winding and each adapted to be moved to circuit-closing position by the movement of the first mentioned switch plugs through the openings in said plate.

12. An ignition lock for a multi-cylinder internal combustion engine comprising a base carrying a plurality of switch members corresponding in number to the number of cylinders and the spark plugs therefor, a source of electric energy, a primary winding, a circuit from said source to said winding and including the aforesaid switch members, a plate movable with respect to said base, a plurality of switch plugs carried by said plate and adapted to cooperate with said switch members to close said circuit, the said plate having a plurality of openings therethrough in excess of the number of the said plugs and members, a plurality of switcl1 members also carried by said base and corresponding in number to the number of said cylinders and plugs, a plurality of switch plugs movable through said openings to co operate with the last mentioned members thereby to close a circuit including the secondary winding and the spark plugs, additional plugs also movable through the openings in said plate and each adapted to close a ground circuit from the source of energy to the primary winding.

In testimony whereof, I hereunto aflix my signature.

HENRY T. oRMoNDn. 

